A/N: Hello everyone! I'm back with the second chapter of Unnatural! Firstly allow me to say thank you to everyone who has commented, favorited, or followed! As the story continues on I hope you guys continue to support and I hope the story line and my Oc are enjoyable enough.
This will be following the anime/ manga with slight changes due to Lilith's involvement. Along with more looks into Eren's own head space throughout this time as I feel we lacked a bit of it and that it was rushed. Of course this is from my perspective and how I assume Eren is thinking etc.
Of course, without further interruption, here is chapter 2!
Chapter Two
Sunlight engulfed the room in a bright eclipse, straining at Lilith's drooping eyes and lazing figure. Around her light conversation flowed, the atmosphere comforting and simple in the office. Her head lolled, in a sleep-like trance from her lack of sleep the past two nights.
The first time had been from the warriors's abrupt visit to her apartment but last night had been from nightmares. Memories and dreams haunting Lilith because of her return to volunteering at the hospital. It was an adjustment period, Lilith considered, the same thing that happened when she began volunteering in the first place. A reminder of her father and more.
When she felt her head fall to the side for the third time already, she gripped the hot mug in her hands, bringing it to her lips. She took a generous sip, tasting the bitterness sharp on her tongue. Steam wafted before her, eyes closing at the warmth.
Why did Zeke need to make the meeting in his office so early that day?
Below her, Pieck shifted her head on Lilith's lap, brown eyes peering up at her sleepily. Lilith smiled down at her, offering a hand to her black locks to rub her head. It was a simple gesture, though when she glanced up Colt looked away just as quickly, a slight blush on his cheeks. To his side Reiner quirked an eyebrow at the youth while Lilith withheld a laugh.
"Don't be so nervous, Colt." She admonished him slightly, watching his hazel eyes shift to her nervously.
"She's right." Zeke agreed, moving forward to offer more mugs of steaming liquid to the male duo on the couch. "When you take over my Titan, she'll be the one in charge of you. You can't be nervous around her just because she's pretty."
If he could get any redder, Lilith thought he would resemble her hair. Though his race certainly was almost like a tomato. "Zeke!" He hissed, earning a few laughs from the others.
Lilith brought her mug to her lips once again, eyeing him from above the rim. Zeke had been bringing the younger male around more often since it'd been decided he would officially take over as the next Beast Titan. Since then Colt had become the male's very shadow, following him around to meetings and the like. Though the more it happened the more Lilith hated it.
She didn't dislike Colt. He was only a year or two younger than her age of nineteen and the small crush he had on her was endearing enough. She'd been around him long enough, watching over his training and helping him where he needed it. But every time he was around the more the obvious truth Lilith tried pushing away became more obvious.
Zeke was going to die within the next year. And not only him but Pieck and Reiner as well once they passed their titans down to the next generation of warriors.
The thought often made her sick. Made her want to hate Colt in more ways than one when she thought of the future. But Lilith couldn't blame him. Couldn't blame anyone truly because whether or not Colt was in the picture, Zeke still only had a year left. And a year was nothing in Lilith's books.
"Morning." Lilith perked up at Colt's greeting.
At the door, Porco was finally making his way inside, slow in his movements.
"Someone's late." Pieck commented from her spot on Lilith's lap, smirking slightly at the male.
"Maybe he got drunk again last night." Lilith joined in with a chuckle.
"Don't start." The male muttered, as if recalling the night before last when he'd drunk too much. Making his way to the last chair available, he threw the two females a glare before giving the rest of the room his attention. "It's not every day we meet in the war chief's room. What's the occasion?"
He was right, Lilith thought. But she was already aware of the reason for their abrupt meeting. For the show he was about to put on. Zeke had already mentioned his plans the night when they'd surprised her at home, filling her in with the talk at the meeting he was in and what lay ahead. Lilith tended to always know most things before the others because of the very reason, though what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
Still Lilith knew how they would react to the news of the Tybur family's involvement with the upcoming war upon Paradise. Lilith herself wasn't happy. Not at their involvement nor at the upcoming battle hanging right above their heads.
As Zeke began laying down the details to the others, Lilith stared across the way to the record player. Doing the very thing of its name- recording them. Making sure they weren't speaking treacherously while the brass listened in on them. But that was what Zeke had wanted. For them to hear and not doubt any of them.
Though there would always be room for doubt. Because no matter how much they gave their lives up for Marley, it only made the hate for them grow. Not just for Lilith but everyone in the room.
And the brass knew that.
"Again!"
Dust exploded in the air, shouts sounding as figures charged at one another. Gabi and Falco met in the middle with their wooden bayonets, breaths ragged and eyes narrowed. Despite their age, the two of them were quick on their feet, determination lining their faces as they pushed at one another. Still and yet Lilith could already see the power struggle slide, Gabi gaining the upper hand on the young boy.
Falco went down like a tree, falling flat on his back where Gabi pointed the end of her stick at him. Further away she could make out Reiner watching from the shadows at a nearby doorway. In the darkness, even from where she stood watching over the warrior candidates, she could make out the tilt of his lips and the furrow of his brows. A ghost watching over them.
He'd been distracted since the meeting ended earlier, spaced out and withdrawn. Like he did often since his return, Lilith had noticed. Though it was only recent when she figured out the trigger- Paradise island. And today had been the main focus of such.
"Lilith!" Gabi called out to her as she watched Reiner walk away. "Did you see it? Did you see it? I did good, didn't I?"
The Titan shifter allowed herself to chuckle slightly at the girl's energy. "You did. You've gotten even better." Her golden gaze found Falco hanging back. "You too, Falco. Next time put more weight on your front foot when pushing forward."
"Yes, Lilith." He muttered, looking away when Gabi glared at him slightly.
"Good." To the side she spotted Udo and Sophia still sparing. "That's enough for today guys! Let's get going!"
The group of four huddled around Lilith at her words, their faces brightening. "You're letting us go early?" Udo asked.
"Just for today. You've all been working hard." She offered Falco a pointed look. "Ice cream is on me when we leave."
If their excitement hadn't been obvious before, it was surely now. They cheered at her words, all rambling at once as they began to run in order to change. Lilith followed behind at a more leisurely pace, catching up to Falco quickly who lagged behind.
"Not feeling up to ice cream?"
At her voice the boy jumped. "Lilith!" He exclaimed, face dusted with dirt from where he'd fallen. "No! I mean yes of course I am!"
She tilted her head at him. "Then…?"
"It's nothing." He said far too quickly for Lilith's liking. She leaned forward, eyebrows pulling down.
"Falco, you know how I feel about liars."
He most certainly did. When she'd first met the meddlesome group of four, she'd caught them one day skipping a training session after telling her something relating to school had come up. The ending result when she'd discovered the truth however hadn't been pretty and they'd never dared to play her the fool again. As if recalling the very same thing, Falco began fumbling.
"I mean…" He began, failing at finding the words. "How am I supposed to beat Gabi?" He said finally, head bowing.
Lilith paused. She'd watched the duo long enough to know about the change in their friendship as Gabi became more competitive and Falco began falling behind. Yet Lilith wasn't blind to what was truly happening.
"You like Gabi, right?" At her blunt words the boy began to turn red.
"What? No- I- She-"
"Falco."
He deflated in defeat at her tone. Lilith sighed slightly, offering a hand on his head to gain his attention. "You don't want Gabi to become the next armoured Titan because of it right? You want to save her from living a short life."
Shock colored his features. "How did you know?" Falco said after a moment, hands clenched at his sides.
"Because I'm a girl."
"Then why's Gabi so oblivious?"
"Because…" Lilith pursed her lips. "Well Gabi's… Gabi."
Falco's expression crumbled. "What do I do, Lilith?"
"Fight." She said simply. "Show the others you deserve the armoured Titan. You understand?"
Something seemed to click in his gaze, the hazel color so much like his brother's hardening like chips. "Yes!"
"Falco!"
The boy jumped at the sound of his name, whipping around to none other than Gabi with her arms crossed over her chest. "Hurry up and get changed! We don't have all day and Lilith probably has other things to do!"
Lilith withheld her grin at Falco's face. She nudged him forward. "You heard her. Hurry up." She winked at him, his checks deepening further to the color of her hair. He turned away, running forward to Gabi who was still yelling at him.
She watched the scene fondly, ignoring the heaviness in her chest. But still the thought persisted- that one day they would replace the others. That when they passed on their titans only her and Porco would be left and sooner or later the same thing would happen to them while Lilith was still alive.
Watching everyone around her die and leaving her alone.
"Hello, Mr. Kruger." Lilith greeted later on at the hospital, standing before the familiar bench from before. "Do you remember me?"
Today the hospital seemed slightly more busy than expected. More Eldian soldiers had been admitted, the last batch as one of the nurses told her, and it was even more crowded. Bodies filled the courtyard around her, all in an array of mental spaces that led her to believe they would stay in the hospital for a long time.
The one before her as well if he didn't start speaking.
At her voice he allowed a quick scan of her with his one good eye. When she thought he wouldn't react at all, he finally offered a slight nod. Lilith took the simple action in strides. "That's good. I heard you have amnesia so it's a great sign that you're retaining information." She brandished the crutch before her with a grin. "Look what I got for you. So you won't have to be wheeled around as often anymore."
Once again the male didn't make much effort to respond. Only nodded, taking in the sight of the crutch with something akin to disinterest. Still Lilith continued on.
"Here, let me help you stand so you can try it out." She offered her arm for the soldier to grab onto, pulling him up with little effort.
Up close and standing, he was taller than Lilith anticipated, near Zeke's own height. For a moment she worried if the crutch would be tall enough to support him, but still and yet the male grabbed it without complaint. When he put it under his armpit on the side of his missing leg, Lilith moved away. "Try coming over here."
The man obeyed easily enough, shuffling forward awkwardly at first before becoming more accustomed.
"How is it, Mr. Kruger?"
"Eren."
Lilith paused at his voice, eyebrows furrowing.
"Call me Eren. I'm not much older for you to be addressing me like that." He said simply, turning to glance down at her.
It was the most words he'd spoken to her as of yet. A rather monotone sound, more blunt than anything. Detached. Still Lilith found she rather liked it, a deep baritone rumble that made its way to her ears.
"I see." Lilith appeared considerate for a moment. "How old are you?"
"Nineteen." Eren answered.
A slight grin pulled at Lilith's lips. "We're the same age. When's your birthday?"
For a moment Eren looked ready to answer, pausing slightly when he looked away. "I don't remember."
Lilith pursed her lips. She'd nearly forgotten that tidbit about him. The nurses had said he seemed to remember only the barest of necessities for himself. Always quiet and keeping to himself because of it, they said.
"Right. Well I'm sure it'll come back to you one day." Behind them a man began yelling incoherently, a faint background noise as Eren began hobbling back to the bench.
Lilith sat beside him a good distance away. Before then the courtyard was an array of different patients, some still and barely moving while others wandered aimlessly with nurses following, failing and trying to keep all of them under watch. It was one of the main reasons why Lilith had begun volunteering in the first place at the hospital.
They were severely understaffed, with barely enough people or supplies to go around. Though Lilith hadn't expected anything different. Despite the need for a hospital, the Marley government barely cared for a place run by and for Eldian soldiers.
When Lilith turned once again to Eren, he was staring out at the scene before them as well. She leaned towards him slightly, catching his attention. "So, Eren," she drawled out, "why don't you tell me about yourself." She smiled, batting her lashes at him. "What you remember, that is."
A/N: Still a bit slow but things will pick up soon. I wanted to introduce Lilith more and her relationship with other characters. At that begin to introduce her past concerning her family (mentions of her father and the hospital) along with her titan shifting abilities which is hinted at when she mentions everyone will die around her and leave her alone.
As usual please favorite and follow, and most importantly review! Thank you!